Dandan said, "Oh, even the 'cricket scout' doesn't work anymore."
Huaiyu said, "You can't be without any fighting spirit. Here, give it to me." He took the "spy," and as soon as the fine hairs touched the cricket's head, it became enraged, revealing its small but sharp teeth, and began to fight on the battlefield, fighting to the death.
Huaiyu understood Zhigao's thoughts, but sitting there complaining was useless. How could one know the mysterious workings of fate without taking action? Perhaps—
Upon seeing this battlefield, Huaiyu immediately said:
"Zhigao, look at this crab-shell-green one. It thought it had lost, but luckily its hind legs were strong. Yes, it almost died but then came back to life!"
"I'm living a life worse than death," Zhigao shouted.
"And what about me?" Dan Dan said, "Am I worse off dead than alive? Better to live a miserable life than die, Brother Qiegao, if you had given up earlier, would you still have any hope?"
“No,” Zhigao said with self-deprecation, “I’m definitely living a life worse than death. Like Huaiyu, he got promoted. Like you, you’re looking for a good husband, so you don’t care about life or death. But me—” He paused, “I’m incompetent and unlucky, and now I’m all alone.”
"You have a great voice," Huaiyu encouraged. "Don't waste it. If you were to sing opera properly—"
Dandan chimed in, "You sing at the street stall first, and if you sing well, then you can go up there. Listen to me, isn't that right?"
"Yes!" Zhigao replied, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" startling the cricket that was twitching its antennae.
Dandan laughed: "Okay, then sing me a song now."
"No way, I have to pay to sing a song," Zhigao said. "I'll teach you one—"
Then he pinched his nose and sang:
"The willow leaves are so pointed, they cover the sky... I think of my beloved brother, such a loving man, my beloved, my little sister's heart belongs only to you..."
What song is it?
"Kiln flavor. The girls love it the most."
“Hmph, there’s no ‘Ka Niang’ here, never!” Dan Dan said.
Huaiyu said solemnly, "No matter what happens in the future, the three of us must not change! We'll share the good times and the bad!" He then extended his hand, allowing the three of them to shake it. Teasing each other, he deliberately squeezed hard, hurting the others, who gritted their teeth in pain. Zhigao, however, was still gritting his teeth and groaning.
"I mostly enjoy your blessings, while you suffer my hardships."
"Here we go again!" Dandan glared at him fiercely, while Zhigao's heart was filled with joy, feeling as if dawn was breaking and the future looked bright.
Dandan suddenly realized, "How about we go find Old Man Wang another day? We can tell him he won't allow it and make him do another divination. This time, we'll make sure he reveals the secrets of heaven!"
"We haven't seen him in so long."
"Don't let him get away with this!" Dandan laughed.
It was quite late when Huaiyu finally got home. Old Tang was counting his money, calculating how many silver dollars he could get. Upon seeing Huaiyu, he cheerfully called out, "Huaiyu, the troupe leader just came by and gave you some snacks as a token of his appreciation—not much, just a small amount—but judging from his tone, he wants you to sign a three-year contract with him, and then he'll really promote you." Huaiyu pondered, "Three years? Three years just performing in one theater?"
"You've only just been promoted."
"Father, I still want to run around the docks and become famous all over the country before I stop!"
Tang Laoda laughed and scolded, "What? You can't even stand properly, and you want to run? You'd better be realistic about your abilities. Don't waste your time. You're still young, are you ready? Besides..."
Huaiyu said, "With Guang in Beiping, who would be content?"
"Learn more skills and then travel all over the country. If you can travel all over the country, that's your goal. If you can't travel everywhere, don't get discouraged."
"Just you wait and see. Once I've made it big in the theaters and my skills are top-notch, people from other cities will come looking for me. I'll only be truly famous when I'm popular in Shanghai!"
"You're like a magpie—you're so lucky!"
Huaiyu ignored him, only concerned with his own aggression. He made a show of himself before his father, singing majestically: "Today I swagger and display my heroism, who doesn't hear me, Pei Yuanqing? Quickly surrender and be captured, for my hammer will strike hard!"
Before the song was finished, he said, "Who would let the troupe leader sign a three-year contract? Who knows what kind of person I will be in three years?"
"Huaiyu—" Tang Laoda was about to say something when Huaiyu stopped him: "Darling, I want you to eat at Lefan. Let Zhigao sing at the street stall."
"Zhigao?"
"Yes, Dandan and I both advised him to hone his skills, not be afraid of setbacks, and then sing again. Don't be so carefree. You've come this far and still can't find a stable path. His sister found a boyfriend, but he's been single ever since."
"Zhigao and Dandan seem to be a couple. They're both orphans, but they manage to get by no matter what. Are they friends of Lawan?"
Huaiyu turned her head away: "I don't know."
"I really don't know." Dandan quickly turned over to the other side, not wanting to continue talking to her junior sister who shared the bed with her.
"What do you mean you don't know? Who do you actually like?"
"I don't like anyone! One's stubborn, the other's mean." Dandan covered her head with the blanket. In bed, her face flushed with embarrassment, she dared not move. It was as if any movement would stir her heart, and others would know her secret.
Really, how did it all begin?
Often, you only realize it after you've started. Suddenly, you discover you've grown up, become more attractive, your body taut and full, possessing a unique aura that makes you shy and uneasy. One moment you're proud and arrogant, the next you're utterly insecure. Fans are like those entering a foggy sea, one foot light, one foot heavy, unsure of the next step. When they do think about it, they're thinking about both at the same time.
Seeing one or not seeing another, I'll be filled with endless longing. My heart is overflowing with tenderness.
How novel and thrilling!
The junior sister was still teasing her: "Oh, if Master Miao is going to hold a ceremony in Shijiazhuang, you won't go either?"
"Of course I'll go: who will feed me if I don't?"
The two girls giggled and whispered among themselves.
Dandan simply couldn't imagine how the entire routine of her life could have changed so suddenly. How could she rearrange things? How could she face the mysterious future? She only felt...